Food: Too Good to Waste

This post is sponsored by Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy

Save Food, Save Money, Save the Planet

We’ve all been there: Your little one is hungry between meals. You bypass the snack drawer and head to the fridge for a healthier option only to find that those once vibrant strawberries are now covered in an unmistakable layer of fuzz. Sighing, you remove them from their perch and head for your trash can or food scraps bin.

Staying on top of the food that you buy can be challenging, but did you know that over 30% of all food grown in the U.S. never gets eaten, and most of this waste is created by households? This costs a four-person family an average of $1,500 per year. Fortunately, it only takes a little knowledge and a few simple steps to make a big impact.

Make food go the extra mile

Food storage can seem complicated, but we’re here to help with simple tips to make the most of your groceries.

• Don’t wash your produce until you’re about to eat it.
• Freeze food items to extend their storage life. You can also try freezing foods in portions so you can thaw out just what you need.
• Avoid storing highly perishable items like milk in the refrigerator door, because that’s the warmest place in the fridge.
• Bananas, avocados, and apples produce ethylene gas, which speeds up the ripening process. Don’t store other fruits near these unless you want them to ripen faster.

Find more tips to reduce food waste in your home by visiting RecyclingandEnergy.org/Food-Waste-Reduction.

Do what’s best for your wallet and the planet

Recycling food scraps is a great option, but reducing food waste in the first place is even better.

Reducing food waste saves you money and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. When food is wasted, so are all of the resources that went into producing it. This includes the water for growing crops and fuel for transporting them.

Test your knowledge!

Take the quiz to test your knowledge on food waste reduction.

Ramsey and Washington counties have worked together to manage waste responsibly since the 1980s. Today, the counties work jointly through Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy (R&E). Through R&E, the counties strive to protect health and the environment and meet the state’s 75% recycling goal by 2030.